Recipe ideas anyone?

Question

I'm cooking 'the mrs' a meal tonight and i don't know what to do, any sensible tasty meals? Nothing which will take all night, i'm looking at half n hour max prep time.

Answer 1

Wow! A whole half-hour prep time for the meal.

Consider "putting together" a meal instead of cooking one.

Buy a rotisseried chicken from the supermarket and a bottle of "Duck Sauce" (a sweet plum sauce) Carve the chicken and serve it with the sauce warmed up.

Buy packaged salad greens and 2 different types of bottled dressings. (If you combine 2 that work well together it's like you've created a new flavour instead of just served a bottled dressing.)

Bake some potatoes. The fast method is to zap them in the microwave for 8 - 10 minutes (whatever time is recommended for your model microwave and the number of potatoes) and while that's happening have your oven or toaster oven heating up. As soon as the potatoes have finished in the microwave, take them out and give them a light smear with olive oil and then place them in the oven to continue baking while you're doing your stuff. This gives the skins a "crunch" and they don't end up being crummy microwaved potatoes. (The olive oil coating is optional but nice.)

Buy a plain cheesecake from the freezer section and allow it to thaw. Drizzle it with liquer and serve it with your coffee. (Or thaw a package of frozen fruit, drain the liquid off before you serve on top of the cake.)

Make sure you put a lovely bouquet or single long-stemmed rose on the table!

Answer 2

You aren't giving much time to get an answer. Do a search for Food Network on the net, and find the 30 minute meal shows. Pasta, fish are both fast. So is thin sliced chicken breast. Here is one of my favorite fast recipes - saute finely chopped onions in butter, flatten chicken breast with meat tenderizer, dredge in seasoned flour and saute in the butter about 3 min each side. Sprinkle with tarragon, add some white wine, put lid on and simmer about 10 minutes. Serve with salad, steamed vegetable.

Answer 3

Chili Casserole Its a one dish meal and since everything else in it is already cooked, you really only need to cook it enough to heat it through and bake the topping. You can also use fresh ingredients if you have them. You could also substitute vegan/vegetarian crumbles or pre-cooked rice for all or part of the meat.

1 lb ground beef
1/2 medium onion
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can chili
1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 (14 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (14 ounce) can kernel corn, drained
your favorite cornbread
1canned jalapeno slices
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown meat with onion. Drain.Combine meat (or vegan crumbles or pre-cooked rice), tomatoes, beans, corn, and chili. If you want it spicier, add jalapeño slices (I use 2-3, mashed in a garlic press). Spread into 9 x 13 baking dish or casserole. Top with cheese, if desired, and then corn bread batter.. Bake according to corn bread directions. To use leftover or fresh ingredients, substitute 2 cups for each can, and 2-3 medium tomatoes. I prefer to use unsweetened cornbread. 1 envelope of mix is usually the right size.

Answer 4

You can never go wrong with a steak, salad, baked potato and rolls/garlic bread. I'd throw a couple of filet mignons on the grill (seasoned properly, of course). Grilling's the hardest part. If you need seasoning ideas or similar, head to allrecipes.com - that site is a lifesaver, and they also have user reviews of the recipes (you will find bunches of tips there). Also, you scale up or down your servings, and the site will automatically calculate your ingredient amounts. It's the best. Good luck, and take care!

Answer 5

Pork chops with Apple
4 lean pork chops
3 level dessertspoons very finely chopped fresh sage
2 Cox's apples, cored and sliced into rings but with skins left on
4 level tablespoons dried white breadcrumbs
1 small egg
about 3 tablespoons oil
about 2 oz (50 g) butter
1 medium onion, sliced into rings
salt and freshly milled black pepper

First of all, mix the sage and breadcrumbs together and season well with salt and coarsely milled black pepper. Then beat the egg and dip the pork chops first in the egg, then into the breadcrumb and sage mixture, pressing firmly all round so that the chops get a really good, even coating.

Now heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 oz (25 g) butter together in a frying pan and, first of all, brown the chops quickly on both sides with the fat fairly hot, then lower the heat and let them gently cook through (it will take around 25-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the chops).

While that's happening, melt a little more butter and oil in another frying pan and fry the apple and onion rings. Drain everything on crumpled silicone paper (parchment) before serving.

Or Spiced Chicken
2 part-boned chicken breasts, skin on
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 small clove garlic
1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger
1 heaped teaspoon ground turmeric
1 dessertspoon groundnut oil or other flavourless oil
1 small onion, chopped
7 fl oz (200 ml) half-fat or full-fat crème fraîche
1 heaped tablespoon medium curry powder
a few fresh coriander sprigs, to garnish
Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4, 350ºF (180ºC).

Begin by placing the salt in a mortar and crush it quite coarsely, then add the garlic and, as you begin to crush it and it comes into contact with the salt, it will break down into a purée. Next, add the ground ginger, turmeric and the oil, and using circular movements, really work all the ingredients together until you have a thick brown paste.

Next, scatter the chopped onion in the middle of a small roasting tin and then, holding one of the chicken breasts in your hand and using a spatula, smear half of the paste over both sides of the chicken breast and then place it on top of the onion before doing exactly the same with the other. Now transfer the tin to the oven and cook the chicken on the middle shelf for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a jug, whisk together the crème fraîche and the curry powder. Then, when the chicken has had its cooking time, spoon the crème fraîche over the chicken breasts and cover the tin with foil before returning it to the oven for a further 30 minutes. I like to serve this with spiced basmati rice and add a few coriander sprigs for a garnish.

Or Chicken Pie
Ingredients
1 medium green pepper, sliced
50g/20z button mushrooms
10g/ ½oz butter
400g/14oz cooked chicken, shredded
225g/8oz puff or flaky pastry (ready-made is fine)
1 egg, beaten
For the sauce
25g/1oz butter
25g/1oz flour
150-200ml/6-7fl oz chicken stock
2-3 tbsp double cream
squeeze of lemon juice
sprig of fresh tarragon

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
2. Blanch the pepper for 2-3 minutes in a saucepan of boiling salted water, then drain, refresh in cold water and drain again.
3. Wipe the mushrooms and cut into quarters. Sauté in the 10g/1/2oz butter for 2-3 minutes, then set aside.
4. For the sauce, melt the 25g/1oz butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the flour and cook slowly over a low heat until the mixture is straw-coloured. Pour in the chicken stock, turn up the heat and stir constantly until simmering. Add the cream and reduce until the sauce has a syrupy consistency. Add the lemon juice and tarragon.
5. Turn off the heat, add the chicken, peppers and mushrooms to the pan.
6. Butter an ovenproof dish large enough to hold the chicken pie mixture with room to spare. Add the chicken mixture to the dish.
7. Roll out the pastry on a floured work surface, to a thickness of about 0.25in/1cm. Place the pastry over the filling and carefully trim the edges. Use the trimmings to make cut-out shapes to decorate the surface of the pie. Cut a couple of air holes with a knife to allow the steam to escape. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg.
8. Bake the pie in the preheated oven for about 25-35 minutes. The top should be nicely browned and the filling piping hot. Remove, allow to cool slightly and serve.

Answer 6

I would personally suggest:

"Chicken Parmasan"

It's very easy and it doesn't take long at all to bake.
Although some variations of it do seem to take longer than others. Look into it and see what you find. It's a win-win situation.

In-fact, most high-class restaurants server Chick. Parm. on their menus.

Answer 7

Blender 3 mangoes and add 3 tablespoon of sugar.

Put Chicken cutlets on the skillet and pour the mango puree. pour some chicken stock and add basil, salt and pepper to taste.

Answer 8

http://www.mealsmatter.org/RecipesAndMeals/QuickMeals/index.aspx
http://simplemeals.cdkitchen.com/
http://allrecipes.com/recipes/main-dish/everyday-meals/main.aspx

Good Luck

Answer 9

There are lots of quick recipes on this website http://www.recipesforvegans.co.uk

Answer 10

try cooks.com